An unidentified gunman fired six shots at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, the Turkish capital, early Monday, striking a guard booth but causing no injuries at the embassy, which was closed at the time, the Ankara governor’s office said in a statement.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called the ongoing currency crisis an attack on the Turkish economy, which he described as an attack on the Turkish flag and call to prayer, indirectly defying the United States administration’s warnings of more sanctions if the U.S. pastor is not released soon.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told her Christian Democrats (CDU) at a meeting that she saw no urgent need to offer financial aid for Turkey to ease its currency crisis, the conservative party’s general secretary said on Aug. 20.

A Turkish court has rejected an appeal for United States Christian pastor Andrew Brunson to be released from house arrest during his trial on terrorism charges. The 3rd Penal Court in the western province of İzmir rejected the appeal on Aug. 17, ruling for the continuation of Brunson’s house arrest, as well as a travel ban imposed on him.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States was not going to take Turkey’s detention of U.S. Christian pastor Andrew Brunson “sitting down,” a day after his Treasury chief said Washington could hit Ankara with further sanctions.

Turkey’s defense minister and the head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) have paid a snap visit to Moscow to discuss recent developments in Syria, amid concerns over the Syrian regime’s ongoing military operation in the Idlib province, which Turkey says could produce catastrophic consequences for both civilians and Turkey’s border security.

China offered moral support to Turkey on Friday as Ankara reeled from a currency crisis and U.S. sanctions, saying it believed the country could overcome its “temporary” economic difficulties, in Beijing’s first comment on the issue.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the U.S. is ready to slap Turkey with more sanctions if President Recep Tayyip Erdogan refuses the quick release of an American pastor, escalating a diplomatic rift that has roiled global financial markets.

Beset by a shaky currency and tension with the United States, Turkey is reaching out to Europe to shore up relations with major trading partners despite years of testy rhetoric and a stalled bid for EU membership.

The central banks of Qatar and Turkey signed a currency swap agreement in the Qatari capital Doha. According to sources from Turkish central bank, the first step has been taken after Qatar pledged $15 billion of investment package in Turkey last Wednesday.

Ratings agency Moody’s has downgraded Turkey’s credit rating deeper into “junk” status and slapped a “negative” rating on its outlook. It’s the latest blow to the country whose currency, the lira, has taken a battering amid concerns about fundamental economic problems and a diplomatic and trade dispute with the United States.

Turkey’s finance ministry said on Friday that credit channels would remain open and that it would take measures to relieve banks and the real sector, after the Turkish lira currency crashed to a record low against the dollar earlier this week.

Turkish fixed-line operator Turk Telekom said on Friday that it clinched a cooperation deal with Vestel after President Tayyip Erdogan called on Turks to use locally-made mobile phones instead of Apple’s iPhone.

Turkey said Wednesday it is increasing tariffs on some U.S. products like cars, alcohol, and coal — a move that is unlikely to have much economic impact but highlights the deteriorating relations with the U.S. in a feud that has already helped trigger a currency crisis.

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has blamed the ruling Justice and Development’s (AKP) construction-based economy for the record-breaking plunge of the Turkish Lira, accusing it of deliberately weakening production capacity of the country.

A senior official from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has ruled out the possibility of bringing local elections forward from their original date on March 2019. “We do not consider holding snap polls. Local elections will be held on March 31, 2019. We have seven months left until elections,” said AKP deputy chair Ali İhsan Yavuz, who is in charge of election affairs.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has reshuffled its top management board at its sixth grand congress, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan being re-elected as the party’s chair with almost all the votes.

Four clerics have been killed after an argument between imams at a town hall ended with an armed assault in eastern Turkey in which the assailant also died after committing suicide. Demirören News Agency reported that the local administration of the Erzincan province’s Tercan district convened for an ordinary monthly meeting on Aug. 17.